Home delivery déjà vu for Midland couple

Home delivery déjà vu for Midland couple

Nikki Million-Cole photo

Tyson and Angie Pamajewon celebrated the arrival of their first son together on Sept. 5. The nine-pound tyke arrived so quickly that his dad delivered him. This is the second time Pamajewon has had to deliver one of his children.

MIDLAND – A Midland man has experienced a once-in-a-life-time situation – for the second time.
Tyson Pamajewon’s wife, Angie, started experiencing labour pains around 6 a.m. on Sept. 5. Less than 90 minutes later, the couple welcomed son Kiiwedin Zegaanimad – with Pamajewon the only one on hand to take on the role of midwife.
The couple had been working with a midwife throughout the pregnancy, but she got stuck in traffic on her way from Barrie to Midland.
Pamajewon found himself in the exact same situation 17 months prior, when his wife went into labour with daughter Daanis.
“(Angie) was holding on to me asking what was going on, and I told her they’d be here any second. They were on (County Road) 93 and I know the construction there, so I thought, ‘Here we go again,’” he said. “All of a sudden she went to the bed and said she couldn’t wait.
“I was wondering where the heck the midwives were. I was calm, though. I knew from the last time what I had to do. I knew I had to calm my wife down and breathe with her. Sure enough, then the head came out and the baby was right on my hands again.”
Despite dad having to deliver two of his children himself, the couple still prefers the idea of using midwives for home births.
“I choose them to work with even during the pregnancy process because of informed choices,” said Angie. “There isn’t the pressure from the doctors to do it in the way the hospital has planned.”
She added the biggest source of anxiety was the feeling of being alone to deliver their son.
“The (midwives) were telling me (via telephone) to have a bath to slow things down. When it wasn’t slowing down, I realized we were on our own again, but it wasn’t as scary this time,” she said.
Pamajewon said he is aware just how lucky he is to have been able to share this with both of his children.
“When I thought it was just a once-in-a-lifetime situation, I thought that’s something that can never be taken away from me and my daughter. Now, that’s something that that can’t be taken away from my daughter and my son.”